


Sleepwalk

by Peonyspeck



Series: Peony’s Character Chaos [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Gen, I didn’t do that on purpose, I just realized Gabriel and Mary both have Christian names, Mystery, Slow Burn, Songfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:14:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28173771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peonyspeck/pseuds/Peonyspeck
Summary: Penelope Lovenor always knew something was up with Tobias McGowan. With the stress of university breathing down her neck, she begins to see things that she couldn’t have dreamed of.Maybe she’s better off not knowing some things.
Series: Peony’s Character Chaos [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2063943





	Sleepwalk

Dizziness and fear swirled into the shaking, kneeling figure of Penelope Lovenor. All she knew now was that her hand was covered in something wet, and she needed to run. But no matter how much she tried to move, tried to escape from the paralyzing terror that consumed her entire being, the will to keep her eyes open simply vanished, dissolving inside her outstretched palms as if she was trying to clutch the wind. A shadow fell over her as she succumbed to the dizzy feeling inside her, and she collapsed.

——

“Are you up?”

A low groan escaped the young woman’s mouth as her eyes adjusted to the light that shone upon her. Except, she could only open a single eye.

Her hand immediately flew upwards to her right eye, and she was shocked to feel bandaging wrapped around her head. As the events of last night slowly faded back into her head, she turned to face the voice that had woken her up.

It was a man, that looked to be about a few years older than herself, with messy black hair that was nearly long enough to reach his shoulders. He crossed his arms with an unfriendly glare in his startlingly pale blue eyes. “Well, took you long enough, princess.”

Penelope had very little to say- or rather, she tried to find the words to say. “I... beg your pardon?”

He simply scoffed, staring at Penelope with that same scathing, cold gaze. “I found you in the cafeteria at 3 in the morning with blood running down your face. You’ve been out ever since.” His words suddenly made Penelope jolt nervously. He was right.

Penelope always knew Tobias McGowan was a bit strange. The way he talked, the way he smiled... But he seemed like such a lonely boy, Penelope couldn’t help but warm up to him. But she never expected him to do something like... That.

“He hurt me, didn’t he?” She somehow whispered, her right hand resting on the bandaging that wrapped her eye, obstructing it’s view. But to her shock, the man stared at her like she was crazy.

“When I got there, you were completely alone. Who are you even talking about?” Came his forward response, which shook her to her very core. If it wasn’t him, then what had happened..? She swore she saw him, looming over her, his tall shadow being cast over her. If he hadn’t been there, who had...

“You got hit in the face by glass. You were lucky I was there to pull the glass out of your head, but your eye was pretty damaged.” He explained to her, but Penelope was barely listening. She hugged her shoulders, staring down at the covers over her. The sterile smell of the nurse’s office flooded her nose, but she couldn’t help but worry. She was just a plain university student... Why was this happening to her, of all people?

Her train of thought was cut off by a door shutting. A girl with long red hair entered the room, cocking her head upon seeing Penelope. “Ah, you’ve already met Gabriel?... Well, it’s good to see you’re conscious again.” The girl’s voice was so soft, she had to lean in to hear it. It took a tense moment for her to respond.

“Y-Yeah, but... he didn’t tell me his name.” It was true- the black-haired boy beside her didn’t even give her a name to call him by. He must’ve been Gabriel from the way he raised his head when the girl mumbled.

The girl blinked slowly, a light crimson flush rising to her cheeks. “Oh, Gabriel... It wouldn’t hurt to be more hospitable to our patients, now would it..?” She sat in the chair beside his, resting her hands on her lap. “Well, I’m Mary... Mary-Jane Crosby, if you will, and this is Gabriel Doyle.” Upon saying his name, she rested her hand on his shoulder, which he seemed mildly annoyed about.

Penelope blankly stared at the wall, releasing a breath she didn’t know she was holding. This situation was all too strange for her to get her bearings, so she decided to retrace her steps, making mental notes as Mary’s words came in one ear and out the other.

“Aah... That’s basically what happened to you... You’ve been unconscious ever since... Do you feel any better?” When Mary stopped talking, Penelope raised her head curiously, her pale hair a tangled mess. “O-Oh, uhm... Yeah, it’s still a little... painful, but I guess it’s better than whatever I felt last night.” Strangely, she couldn’t recall any pain- maybe the adrenaline rush was enough to block it out, but it was still a bit of a mystery, considering she remembered the wet feeling of blood seeping past her fingers clearly. Now that she thought of anything, it was mostly a blur of action.

“T-Tobias. I swear he did it. He... threw the glass at my face.” Penelope mumbled, her occupied gaze boring into the ceiling. Her words were met by a sound of slight shock from both Mary and Gabriel.

“Tobias McGowan? I-It couldn’t have been him, he was here all last night.” Mary seemed a bit unnerved, lacing her fingers together tightly. Gabriel tilted his head inquisitively, his dark hair falling to the side of his face. Penelope stared at the ceiling. Her eye seemed darker than before. “You should probably get some sleep. You might have dropped it or tripped or something.” Gabriel told her, but she wasn’t listening. She had seen him, and she swore on her life that he was *there.* Right there, standing over her as she hyperventilated, blood dripping down her face.

“Why... was he here?” Penelope finally had the courage to ask, a blank stare in her eyes as Mary twirled a strand of hair around her slender finger. “Ah... Um... T-That’s confidential information, if you can understand... Aah, he may tell you if you ask him, but...” Mary’s voice was only nearly above a panicked, breathy mumble- but that was how she always spoke. Smoothing the wrinkles on her dress, she gently bowed to the overwhelmed Penelope, excusing herself in a hurry.

Gabriel nodded to her, standing up from his chair. “Get some rest now. Don’t you law students have a project coming up?” His question was met with tense, uncomfortable silence, which he quickly walked away from. Penelope clutched her blanket.

She couldn’t trust those people.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! <3 Criticism is very appreciated!
> 
> I will try to get out one chapter every week at the least, but please be patient with me.


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